Pre-fabricated natural stone counter tops

ABSTRACT

Natural stone counter tops and methods for making and using the counter tops are described. The counter tops are made from natural stone, including granite, but comprise pre-fabricated pieces that are substantially modular. The pre-fabricated pieces are manufactured with an integrated edge so that they can be quickly assembled to create a counter with an integrated exterior edge, without the need to make and install a separate exterior edge. The pre-fabricated pieces can be quickly manufactured and easily stored as inventory, allowing the counter tops to be quickly and easily installed without the wait and cost of custom ordering the counter tops.

FIELD

Natural stone counter tops and methods for making and using such counter tops are described in this patent application. In particular, natural stone counter tops that are made of pre-fabricated pieces that can be quickly mounted to any underlying surface are described in this patent application.

BACKGROUND

There are many types of counter tops currently used in commercial and residential buildings. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,958,888, 5,253,932, 5,470,140, 5,595,427, 5,826,396, 6,128,793, 6,286,577, 6,352,038, 6,395,116, 6,413,337, and 6,945,006, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Examples of the materials that have been used in counter tops include metal sheets, ceramic slabs, cement slabs, glass-like sheets, agglomerated stone, cement materials, terrazzo, plastic laminates, and wood. Generally, the counter tops that are typically used can be categorized into natural stone (NS) counter tops, such as marble or granite, or synthetic stone (SS) counter tops, such the commercial material sold under the trademark Corian.

SS counter tops are easier to install quickly because they can be manufactured as modular pieces that can be assembled to the desired configuration for the final counter top. But the quality and durability of NS counter tops, which are superior to SS, make them more desirable in many instances. In other words, synthetic materials are often initially fabricated into generally standardized shapes and sizes and then assembled to make the final counter top.

NS counter tops, however, are not generally manufactured in standard shapes and sizes. Rather, they are made of a single piece. Accordingly, they are custom ordered by measuring the dimensions and then cutting the final structure from a larger piece. They can only be custom ordered, however, once the configuration of the surface on which they will be located (i.e., a counter) is finalized. The configuration of that surface is then used to cut the corresponding counter top from the larger piece of natural stone. Unfortunately, this process can take several weeks, during which further construction in the location of counter tops can not proceed. And this delay can also increase the cost of the construction project which the counter tops are a part of.

One type of modular NS counter tops has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,932, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. These counter tops, however, require the use of an edge material that is not integrated with, and therefore separate from, the rest of the modular pieces that form the counter top. While the edge material may have certain aesthetic advantages, it is typically time consuming and difficult to manufacture and install. Thus, any advantage achieved by the modular counter tops in terms of time and cost savings is diminished because of the added labor and cost to cut and install the separate edges.

SUMMARY

Natural stone counter tops and methods for making and using the counter tops are described. The counter tops are made from natural stone, including granite, but comprise pre-fabricated pieces that are substantially modular. The pre-fabricated pieces are manufactured with an integrated edge so that they can be quickly assembled to create a counter with an integrated exterior edge, without the need to make and install a separate exterior edge. The pre-fabricated pieces can be quickly manufactured and easily stored as inventory, allowing the counter tops to be quickly and easily installed without the wait and cost of custom ordering the counter tops.

DRAWINGS

The counter tops and associated methods can better understood in light of the Figures, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an assembled counter top made from a pre-fabricated NS pieces;

FIG. 2 depicts some examples of the shapes of the pre-fabricated pieces;

FIG. 3 illustrates some examples of some of the matching configurations that can be used on the edges of the pre-fabricated pieces; and

FIG. 4 shows an example of a substrate that can be use for an assembled counter top made from a pre-fabricated NS pieces.

The Figures presented in conjunction with this description are views of only particular—rather than complete—portions of the counter tops and methods of making and using such counter tops. In the Figures, the thickness of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference numerals in different drawings represent the same element, and thus their descriptions will be omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description provides specific details in order to provide a thorough understanding of the counter tops. The skilled artisan, however, would understand that the counter tops and the associated methods can be practiced without employing these specific details. Indeed, the counter tops and associated methods can be used in conjunction with apparatus and techniques conventionally used in the industry. The invention described below deals primarily with counter tops that are located on top of a counter (hence the name counter top). The invention, however, could be modified to be located on—and serve as a cover for—any other structure.

The NS counter tops comprise pre-fabricated pieces that are quickly and easily fitted together to form a single structure on any surface. The types of surfaces include any substantially uniform surface, whether substantially horizontal, substantially vertical, or diagonal surface. In some aspects, the surface need not be substantially uniform and can be an irregular surface. In most embodiments, the counter tops are formed on substantially horizontal surfaces. Examples of the surfaces on which the counter tops can be located include desks, floors, window sills, outdoor appliances, cabinets, storage bins, shelving, drawer stacks, or the like, although the supporting surfaces may be the legs or frame of a table.

An example of one type of surface in which the counter top can be located is depicted in FIG. 1, which illustrates a typical residential kitchen area 1 with walls 2 and 4, and appliances, such as sink 6 and a stove 8. The counter top 10 contains a plurality of pre-fabricated pieces 20 and is located on the counter (not shown). The counter top, however, is not limited to being located in a kitchen area. Rather, it can be located in any area where there is a surface on which the counter top can be mounted. Examples of other areas include a commercial kitchen, or even an industrial or institutional kitchen, laboratories, offices, industrial facilities, medical facilities, rest rooms, and the like.

Each pre-fabricated piece 20 of the counter-top 10 can be configured to have any desired shape, size, and thickness. Generally, each piece 20 can have a thickness ranging from about 2 cm to about 4 cm. In some embodiments, such as where granite pieces are used, the pieces can have a thickness of about 3 cm with any desired width or length for the desired placement of the piece 20 in the counter top 10. Thinner pieces can be used, but not typically since they are more difficult to handle and are more easily cracked. Thicker pieces can also be used, but not very often because there exist inefficiencies with thicker sizes because the sinks have to be mounted under them.

Generally, each piece can have any desired shape, including substantially circular, rectangular, triangular, polygonal, or any combination thereof. In some aspects, the pieces are substantially rectangular with a length of about 1 foot to about 4 feet, and a width of about 2 feet to about 4 feet. For example, for any internal piece 16 (where an edge thereof does not become an edge of the counter top), the length can be about 1 foot to about 4 feet and the width can be about 2 feet to about 4 feet.

Each piece 20 can also be pre-fabricated to be incorporated with any other piece(s) to which it is to be connected, thereby forming the final counter top 10 with any desired shape that is needed. As well, certain pieces 20 can be pre-fabricated to integrate with a specific appliance. For example, when the counter top is to surround a Kohler brand of sink, the pieces 20 are pre-fabricated with a specific configuration so that they can be mounted to enclose that sink. Examples of numerous shapes of the pre-fabricated pieces 20 are illustrated in FIG. 2, as well as those depicted in FIG. 1.

The materials used for the NS counter tops can be any naturally-occurring material. Examples of such materials include marble, granite, or concrete. In most aspects, the material comprises granite. In some aspects, the material can comprise a coating as known in the art.

Typically, each pre-fabricated piece 20 also has an integrated edge. In other words, each piece is fabricated with the edge integrated with the rest of the structure, regardless of whether the edge is part of an internal piece 16 and so faces another piece 20 (i.e., an internal edge 22) or whether the edge is part of an external piece 18 and does not abut another piece 20 (i.e., an external edge 24). Of course, where the piece 20 contains an edge that will be an external edge 24, it will be configured differently than an internal edge 22. Thus, there is no need to use any other edge piece or strips of material other than the pre-fabricated pieces because the pre-fabricated pieces already have an integrated external edge.

The internal edges 22 can be configured in any manner that allows them to be quickly and easily be mounted to the underlying surface and/or connected to any other edge(s) of adjacent piece(s). In some aspects, the internal edges 22 are configured to be substantially straight. In other aspects, the internal edges 22 are made with matching configurations so that the pieces 20 can be connected to each other using the corresponding configurations. An example of one matching configuration is illustrated in FIG. 3, which is commonly referred to as a tongue and groove connection. Of course, any other matching configuration known in the art can be used, such as groove-in-groove connection or those described in the patents mentioned above. See, for example, the configurations described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,470,140 and 5,253,932, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The external edges 24 can also have configuration known in the art. In some embodiments, the external edges 24 are given a substantially rounded configuration or substantially rectangular configuration. In other embodiments, the exterior edge of the counter tops are given any decorative configuration known in the art can be used, including those described in the patents mentioned above.

In some embodiments, a substrate can be used underneath the NS pieces of the counter top. Since the substrate will be hidden from view when the counter top is mounted, there are few limitations on the substrate that can be used. Any conventional substrate can be used, including wood, plastic, or wood-like products. One example of a substrate comprises a sheet of plywood.

In some aspects, the substrate has been patterned. In these aspects, the substrate has been patterned so that it underlies only specific parts of the counter top. In some instances, the substrate is patterned so that it underlies only the interface(s) between the NS pieces and/or edges of the counter top. One example of a patterned substrate is depicted in FIG. 4 where a substrate 40 is located on a counter 30 and underlies a NS piece 20 that contains an external edge 24 and a joint 50 between adjacent NS pieces 20.

The pre-fabricated pieces 20 can be held together to make the counter top 10 using any connection means known in the art. One example of connection means comprises an interference fit or friction fit between corresponding parts of the pre-fabricated pieces 20. Another example of a connection means comprises using any known bonding agent or adhesive such as an adhesive containing epoxy, silicone, or urethane. Of course, another other known connection means, including those described in the patents mentioned above, can be used. Where the pre-fabricated pieces 20 are mounted to either the underlying substrate or surface, it may not be necessary to use any connection means since the pre-fabricated pieces 20 are held in place relative to each other when they are mounted.

The counter tops can be made using any technique that assembles the pre-fabricated pieces 20 into a complete structure. In some embodiments, the following process is used to make the counter top. First, the surface on which the counter top is located is provided. Where such a surface does not already exist, is can be created as known in the art. For example, where such a surface comprises counters, the counters are first assembled.

Next, where a substrate is used, it is then provided on the surface using any process known in the art. For example, where wood is used as the substrate, it can be situated on the counter by glue or wood screws. The substrate should be positioned so that the assembled counter top will extend beyond the end of the substrate, thereby hiding it from view. The substrate can be attached to the base in any conventional manner, such as with nails, screws, adhesives, or the like.

Next, the pre-fabricated pieces 20 corresponding to the desired shape of the counter top 10 are selected. Since the counter top 10 will likely not be completely rectangular, this process involves selecting those pre-fabricated pieces 20 that when fit together, give the desired shape. An example of how the differently size pre-fabricated pieces can be selected to give the desired final shape is illustrated in FIG. 1.

Next, the pre-fabricated pieces 20 are mounted to the surface, or the substrate when it is present. This mounting process can be performed by any technique known in the art, including those described in the patents mentioned above. In some embodiments, the pieces 20 are mounted by using the apparatus sold by Monument Tools, Ltd. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,980, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Optionally during this mounting process, the pre-fabricated pieces 20 can be connected to each other using the connection means. Performing this optional step increases both the strength and visual beauty, as well as the stability of the final counter top structure. The connection means can be used consistent with their nature. For example, when an adhesive or bonding agent is used, it is applied to the desired edges of the respective pieces 20 before they are placed in the final assembly. When the adhesive or bonding agent cures, the edges are then adhered to each other. The abutting pieces 20 should be positioned as close as possible, with a minimum of adhesive, thereby reducing or eliminating any visibility of the joint between the edges. In certain instances, the adhesive may be colored and/or contain fillers (i.e., pre-colored epoxies and pre-colored silicone caulk) to further reduce the visibility of the joint.

Finally, an optional coating can be applied to the top of the assembled counter top. This coating can be any conventional coating used in the art. The coating helps seal any joints or cracks and so can extend the life of the assembled counter top. In some embodiments, a sealant coating is applied to the final counter top.

The NS counter top that has been assembled from the pre-fabricated NS pieces has several advantages. The first advantage comprises the modular nature of the pre-fabricated pieces, which makes them adaptable and convenient for any architect, builder, and installer. Since there exist any number of standard pre-fabricated sizes, the pieces can be easily and cheaply held in inventory by a manufacturer or distributor. A builder or installer would simply order those pre-fabricated pieces needed for the specific project, without the need to custom order the counter top and wait for the customized counter top to be cut and shipped, a process which can take anywhere from 7 to 10 days. With the counter tops assembles from pre-fabricated pieces, it only takes as much time as necessary to select those pre-fabricated pieces that will give the desired configuration: a process taking only minutes or hours instead of days.

Another advantage is the speed at which the counter tops can be assembled from the pre-fabricated pieces. Other NS counter tops required edges that were separate form the remainder of the counter. These separate edges were difficult and time consuming to make and then incorporate into the counter top, often taking longer than about 64 man hours for a 100 square foot counter top (i.e., about 4 days for a normal 2 man crew working an 8 hour shift). Using pre-fabricated pieces with an integrated edge, however, eliminates the need for the separate edges, drastically reducing the installation time for a 100 square foot NS counter top to less than about 16 man hours (i.e., in excess of 100 square feet per day can be installed with a normal 2 man crew working an 8 hour shift). In some instances, a 100 square foot NS counter top can be installed in about 10 to about 12 man hours. In other instances, a 100 square foot NS counter top could be installed in less than about 8 man hours.

Another advantage is that the counter tops neither require specially-trained fabricators or installers, nor expensive and sophisticated equipment for installation. And unlike NS counter tops that require separate edges, there is no extensive fabrication of edge profiles or edge surfaces since they are integrated into the pre-fabricated pieces.

Another advantage is reduced cost. The components of the NS counter tops with pre-fabricated pieces can be made by mass production for delivery and simple assembly right at the location of the job site. The pre-fabricated pieces can be easily stored in large inventories by manufacturers or distributors, allowing any particular combination of pieces for the final counter top to be quickly shipped.

Yet another advantage is that the pre-fabricated pieces can be manufactured using automated procedures, reducing or eliminating the need for the lengthy grinding and shaping processes often used to create NS counter tops. The standardized nature of the pre-fabricated pieces further increases the ability to quickly and cheaply manufacture the counter tops, as well as increasing the uniformity and quality of the final counter top.

Having described the preferred aspects and embodiments of the invention, it is understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not to be limited by particular details set forth in the above description, as many apparent variations thereof are possible without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. 

1. A pre-fabricated piece for a counter top, the piece being made from natural stone and containing an integrated edge.
 2. The piece of claim 1, wherein the natural stone is granite, marble, or concrete.
 3. The piece of claim 1, wherein the integrated edge is an exterior edge of the counter top.
 4. The piece of claim 3, wherein the piece is configured to be incorporated with another pre-fabricated piece of the counter top.
 5. The piece of claim 1, wherein the pre-fabricated piece is located on a patterned substrate.
 6. A counter top comprising a pre-fabricated piece that is made from natural stone and contains an integrated edge.
 7. The counter top of claim 6, wherein the natural stone is granite, marble, or concrete.
 8. The counter top of claim 6, wherein the integrated edge of the piece is an exterior edge of the counter top.
 9. The counter top of claim 6, wherein the pre-fabricated piece is configured to be incorporated with another pre-fabricated piece of the counter top.
 10. The counter top of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of pre-fabricated pieces and wherein all of the exterior edges of the counter top are integrated with the plurality of pre-fabricated pieces.
 11. A modular natural stone counter top, comprising a pre-fabricated piece that is made from natural stone and contains an integrated edge.
 12. The counter top of claim 11, wherein the natural stone is granite, marble, or concrete.
 13. The counter top of claim 11, wherein the integrated edge of the piece is an exterior edge of the counter top.
 14. The counter top of claim 11, wherein the pre-fabricated piece is configured to be incorporated with another pre-fabricated piece of the counter top.
 15. The counter top of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of pre-fabricated pieces and wherein all of the exterior edges of the counter top are integrated with the plurality of pre-fabricated pieces.
 16. A method of assembling a counter top, comprising: providing a surface; providing a plurality of pre-fabricated pieces that are made from natural stone and contains an integrated edge; and assembling the plurality of pieces together on the surface to make a counter top.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the surface is substantially horizontal.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a substrate on the surface.
 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting the pre-fabricated pieces so that they correspond to the final shape of the counter top.
 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising mounting the pre-fabricated pieces to the surface.
 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising connecting the pre-fabricated pieces to each other using the connection means during the mounting process.
 22. A modular counter structure, comprising: a surface; and a plurality of pre-fabricated pieces that are made from natural stone and that contain an integrated edge that have been assembled.
 23. The structure of claim 22, wherein all of the exterior edges of the counter structure are integrated with the plurality of pre-fabricated pieces.
 24. The structure of claim 22, wherein a patterned substrate is located between the surface and the plurality of pre-fabricated pieces. 